Latin for Learners: 28.08.25: Level 1: 3rd-iō conjugation verbs

This post follows on from the previous posts on 3^rd and 4^th conjugation verbs.

Links:

Level 1; Road to Latin [33]; [i] In peristȳlō [ii] Dē equō ligneō; (2) grammar: 3^rd conjugation verbs

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/05/220825-level-1-road-to-latin-33-i-in.html

Level 1; Road to Latin [34]; [i] In peristȳlō [ii] Dē equō ligneō; (3) grammar: 3^rd conjugation verbs; links

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/05/220825-level-1-road-to-latin-34-i-in.html

Level 1; Road to Latin [35]; [i] In peristȳlō [ii] Dē equō ligneō; (4) grammar: 4^th conjugation verbs

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/05/250825-level-1-road-to-latin-35-i-in.html

Level 1; Road to Latin [36]; [i] In peristȳlō [ii] Dē equō ligneō; (5) grammar: 4^th conjugation verbs; links

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2025/05/250825-level-1-road-to-latin-36-i-in.html

I leave this conjugation until last because it is formed partly from the 3^rd conjugation and partly from the 4^th i.e. it is better to be familiar with the 3^rd and 4^th before looking at what is happening in the 3^rd-iō. The information below has been posted before:

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/180304-3rd-io-conjugation.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/409226905021917/

However, a summary is posted here again since it naturally follows on from what has already been discussed.

If you look at the first image posted, you see two verbs side by side; in grammar books they are generally presented this way because both of them are classified as 3rd conjugation, the infinitive in short /e/. However, the verb on the right can be noted as [3-iō] although wiktionary (rather threateningly) lists this verb type as “third conjugation iō-variant”.

Why is it called this?

[i] Here’s a 3rd conjugation: bibō, bibere [3]: drink

bibō

>> bibis <<

>> bibit <<

>> bibimus <<

>> bibitis <<

bibunt

[ii] Here’s a 4th conjugation: audiō, audīre [4]: hear

>> audiō <<

audīs

audit

audīmus

audītis

>> audiunt <<

[iii] Now, the final ‘tick box’ of the conjugations:

faciō, facere [3-iō]: do; make

Take a second look; the first person singular looks like audiō [4th conjugation] but the infinitive is short /e/ -ere, like bibere [3rd conjugation], and what emerges is a combination of the two:

[1] fáciō [like 4th conjugation; compare audiō]: I do

Now it has the endings of the 3rd conjugation:

[2] fácĭs [compare: bíbĭs]: you (sg.) do

[3] fácĭt [compare: bíbĭt]: he / she / it does

[4] fácĭmus [compare: bíbĭmus]: we do

[5] fácĭtis [compare: bíbĭtis]: you (pl.) do

Then …

[6] fáciunt [like 4th conjugation: audiunt]: they do

The table below shows the three conjugations – 3rd, 3-iō and 4th – side-by-side. The accent marks [ʹ] and [˘] are only used here to show the differences in stresses. Note the way in which the 3-iō conjugation is formed partly from the third conjugation and partly from the fourth.

Compare the way in which 3rd, 3-iō and 4^th conjugations are listed:

dūcō, -ere [3]; -ō / -ere

capiō, -ere [3-iō]; -iō / -ere

audiō, -īre [4]; -iō / -īre

Some frequently occurring verbs are of the 3-iō type:

accipiō, accipere [3-iō]: receive

capiō, capere [3-iō]: take; capture

cupiō, cupere [3-iō]: desire

effugiō, effugere [3-iō]: flee / escape from

fugiō, fugere [3-iō]: flee

iaciō, iacere [3-iō] throw

interficiō, interficere [3-iō]: kill

rapiō, rapere [3-iō]: seize; of course, the highly unpleasant word ‘rape’ is derived from this, but the original word, which, yes, could mean ‘rape’ also had a far wider meaning of ‘snatch; carry off; abduct’

Links

[1] further posts on the 3-iō conjugation

18.03.24: 3rd-iō conjugation

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/180304-3rd-io-conjugation.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/409226905021917/

18.03.24: practice in the 3-iō conjugation

https://adckl.blogspot.com/2024/04/180324-practice-in-3-io-conjugation.html

https://www.facebook.com/groups/latinforstarters/posts/409455001665774/

[2] 3^rd, 3-iō and 4^th conjugations: all posts

[i] 3^rd and 3-iō conjugation

https://mega.nz/file/GB9HXJyQ#rAlmUqjUcF0fjIlKKbqo0F0MWGj0FQB5zIvwHM2EpVo

[ii] 4^th conjugation